15 Ultimate Things to Do in the San Fernando Valley

The Japanese Garden is a meditative oasis in the heart of the SFV. Designed in the traditional chisen style, it’s a strolling garden built around a large water feature. While the water symbolizes the ocean, its actual source is a lot more practical – the water reclamation plant right next door. With six and a half acres of garden space, the area features a variety of nooks and crannies to enjoy. While walking the length of the garden, you’ll observe abundant greenery, stone lanterns, and even a beautiful teahouse to sit in. There are even three small, cascading waterfalls (symbolizing heaven, man, and Earth.)

Although it’s located conveniently off of the 101 and 405 freeways, the garden is a sanctuary perfect for birdwatching. Depending on the time of year, you might see a blooming wisteria arbor, cherry trees, magnolias, or lotus. Unsurprisingly, people flock here for family photo sessions, especially in the spring. Other visitors prefer to pack paper and pencils for sketching nature scenes. While there aren’t open expanses for picnicking, there are plenty of benches and pavilions with picturesque views perfect for quiet contemplation and friendly catchups.

The garden also hosts special events dedicated to celebrating Japanese culture, from haiku workshops and bonsai tree trimming to tea ceremonies and origami courses. Admission is currently free, although it is closed on weekends. Plan your visit Monday through Thursday and check in with a volunteer when you arrive.

If mindful meditation isn’t your thing, don’t worry. The Japanese Garden is part of Woodley Park, which is adjacent to Balboa Park and the larger Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex. While it may not be as large as Griffith Park, these areas are similarly sprawling. There’s plenty of regular park space for parties and recreation, as well as unique offerings like an archery range and cricket field. This is actually the archery range Olympians will compete at during the 2028 Olympic Games in L.A. (skateboarding and BMX will also take place in the complex). This marks the first time the Valley will host any Olympic competition! Woodley Park also has its own model airplane field, where you’ll find serious and amateur flyers wielding their crafts in the open skies above. At Balboa Park, you’ll find a giant lake with boats for rent, as well as a lively community of people fishing, barbequing, and working out.

You’ll smell the scent of marinated meat caramelizing on the grill, freshly made noodles frying in pans, and pots of soups stewing in massive pots before you even arrive. It’s spicy, it’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s sumptuous. Wat Thai is a beautiful temple and lively place of worship. It’s the first Thai Theravada Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles (and in all of the U.S.!). Every weekend it becomes a Thai food festival. Picture dozens of stalls, each with their own culinary expertise.

You’ll find all your Thai favorites there (and at very reasonable prices), but you’re likely to discover delicacies brand new to you too. The desserts are as abundant as the snacks and meals, with tasty treats like khanom krok (Thai coconut pancakes), sweet potato balls, and fried bananas. A Thai iced coffee will only cost you $3, and like everything else at the festival, it’s guaranteed to be delicious. Every year, cooks compete against each other to win rotating spots on the festival’s roster. Looking to sell mango sticky rice? You’ll have to beat out the other mango sticky rice purveyors first. Come prepared to enjoy a mouth-watering marathon!

Ok, there’s no getting around the fact that tiki culture is rooted in a toxic combination of colonialism and fetishization. That being said, tiki bars maintain a hugely diverse fan base around the country thanks to the strong drinks, kitsch decor, and nostalgic feel they offer. Tonga Hut is the oldest of all the tiki bars in L.A., serving libations in North Hollywood since 1958.

Stop in for a mai tai, chi chi, or mug of “voodoo punch,” some of their many house specialty cocktails. Or come with friends to share one of their big “bowls” of booze, like the Tonga Hut Treasure (rum, almond, honey, grapefruit, lime). Even if you don’t love tiki culture, you might enjoy the strong pours and cozy booths.

While the Valley is full of artists, it doesn’t always seem to be full of art. There aren’t any art museums and very few art galleries. But there is a public mural that’s definitely worth checking out, painted by the legendary L.A. artist and activist Judy Baca. There’s a good reason LACMA honored her at their annual Art+Film gala last year, along with director David Fincher. Baca’s work consists of murals made in collaboration with the community, and they often feature underrepresented community members too. Some of her early murals in Boyle Heights were made with the help of gang members. This particular mural, located in the Studio City area, depicts the “history of ethnic peoples of California from prehistoric times to the 1950s” told from the perspective of women and minorities.

Painted with the help of 400 student “mural maker” volunteers in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Baca transformed the Tujunga Wash channel into one of the most important pieces of public art in L.A. The mural spans over a half of a mile and the historical narrative it portrays continues to remind viewers how important diversity and multiculturalism are in L.A. While the mural’s official title is “The History of California,” its tremendous length earned it the more commonly heard nickname the “Great Wall of Los Angeles.” It’s considered one of the longest murals in the world, and certainly the longest in L.A.

Eager for more art? I advise you to go somewhere sort of unexpected (at least, unexpected for art viewing). Universal City Walk is a retail and entertainment district next to Universal City Walk. It has all the kind of pricey, family-oriented restaurants and shops you might expect to find outside of a theme park, but if you stick around past sunset, you’ll also experience its curated collection of handmade neon sign art. As the founding director of L.A.’s Museum of Neon Art, artist Lili Lakich curated some of the most special pieces from the museum’s collection and oversaw their restoration and installation at City Walk. Back in the 1920s, L.A. was the first American city to have neon-art advertisements (imported from France, where they were first created, and used to advertise a Packard car dealership downtown).

Because of the city’s notorious car culture, neon signs became a “must-have” for L.A. businesses in the early 20th century (before the city “went dark” to prevent attacks during WWII). It’s only fitting they’re celebrated at CityWalk. Today, many contemporary businesses have made their own neon signs to fit into the CityWalk’s sparkling sprawl. My favorite vintage piece used to be in the Earl Caroll Theater. It has a circular shape, with the outline of a beautiful woman’s face, and the text “Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world”.

Unlike the rest of what CityWalk has to offer, you can enjoy these pretty lights for free. And if you’re really into neon art, check out the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale (some consider it the Valley, some don’t!). It’s right across from The Americana mall and next to loads of restaurants. The museum is open Thursday – Sunday and free for children (adults pay $10!)

The Valley might not be known for its architecture, but there are loads of architecturally significant landmarks all over the Valley. Where else will you find actress Barbara Stanwyck’s Golden Age ranch across the street from a Coffee Bean (Northridge)? Or a liquor store designed by Modernist legend Richard Neutra (Granada Hills)?

Take in the iconic Googie-style architecture at the original Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank (over a burger, of course) or cruise down Laurelwood Drive to find the Laurelwood Apartments (the last apartment building designed by R. M. Schindler). In San Fernando, you’ll find the Lopez Adobe, the oldest standing adobe structure in the area. Built in the late 1880s, members of the Lopez family lived here past the 1960s. The prominent family opened the Valley’s first post office and English-speaking school. Visit on the last Sunday of each month for a guided tour. If you want to check out the Stanwyck Ranch, formally known as The Oakridge Estate, reserve tickets in advance to experience a 75-minute tour of the 1937 home.

For a full list of architecturally significant homes and locations in the Valley, just search The L.A. Conservancy. Have an errand to run in the Valley? Pop in the address and see what bits of preserved history can be found nearby.

These museums aren’t massive, but that doesn’t mean their collections aren’t meaningful. Drop into one of the Valley’s niche museums for an hour or two of nostalgic fun. The Valley Relics Museum is a pop culture paradise, especially if you’re into the Valley’s mid-century history. There are vintage neon signs, retro restaurant memorabilia, cars, bikes, and more. You’ll also find a vintage arcade with games you can actually play. You might also enjoy its unique location in a hangar at the Van Nuys airport (the most popular private airport in L.A., and one of the busiest airports for private planes in the world. Keep your eyes peeled for Kim Air!)

In Sylmar, you’ll find The Nethercutt Museum. If you like the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire, this should be your next stop! The collection features more than 200 cars in pristine condition, in service of its founder JB Nethercutt’s lifelong mission to preserve and share automotive history. Today, the collection is considered one of the best car museums in the world and is valued at more than 100 million dollars. The quality and artistry is impeccable, and I doubt you’ll find cherry red fire engines from 1913 anywhere else in the Valley. The museum is open for self-guided tours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but if you want to experience both wings, you’ll need to make advanced reservations for the “collection” building.

While the Valley might be full of studios (CBS, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers), there is just as much film and television production that happens at regular homes and businesses too. Whatever piece of American pop culture you’re into the most, there’s probably some trace of it here for you to find with a simple search.

While the Chinese restaurant from Drive permanently closed during the pandemic, RIP to The Great Wall, there are so many others to pay homage to if you please. Visit Richie Valen’s grave at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery, as seen in La Bamba, get a margarita at Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks like they do in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and make a pilgrimage to the shuttered Reseda Theater on Sherman Way (the nightclub in the iconic opening scene from Boogie Nights.) Want more “Boogie Nights?” Go to the donut shop where Don Cheadle’s fate changes forever. It’s called Miss Donuts and is only a few minutes away from the Reseda Theater. Magnolia more your speed? Have a drink at the Foxfire Room in Valley Village, which is featured in the movie.

Want to see the house from E.T. or Back to the Future? They’re both in the Valley. As is the house from The Brady Bunch! What about the house where the Jackson family grew up? You can find it in Encino (just don’t like, go up to the door! Still private property!) What about the Pink Motel on San Fernando Road? Sure, it’s where Kylie Minogue shot her “Padam” video, but it’s also where Lisa Vanderpump hosted the 1950s photo shoot for the SUR crew during season three of Vanderpump Rules.

For Star Trek aficionados, the Japanese Garden mentioned in the first slide is also home to the Starfleet Academy in the TV series.

It’s ok to be basic, you’re in the Valley. There’s no need to act cool here. Leave your pretensions, personas, and personal brands on the other side of the hill. Just get in your car (or have a friend pick you up) and hit the mall. Whether you’re seeking some retail therapy or simply in the mood for a hot, soft pretzel, the Valley is full of malls to escape into. In the summer months, they’re also a great place to get your steps in (free air conditioning). Plus, the people watching is prime.

There’s the Sherman Oaks Galleria, where they shot “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, but is mostly good for the movies, and The Cheesecake Factory now (there’s also a Burke Williams spa if you really want to make it a day!) Then there’s Sherman Oaks Fashion Square, which is home to the only Bloomingdales in the Valley and screens movies on its rooftop drive-in style. The Northridge Mall is a fast-casual dining oasis, with restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen, Wood Ranch, Buffalo Wild Wings, Bar Louie, and Yard House all practically jammed up against each other. (Bar Louie closes at 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. That’s like going to a nightclub… at the mall.)

Topanga Mall is the cream of the crop though. The Topanga Mall is massive, with a brand-new food hall called Topanga Social. It features LA staple eateries like Mini Kebab and Wanderlust, along with a margarita garden and I LOVE MICHELADAS outpost. There’s also a new luxury fashion wing, featuring boutiques by brands like Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Hermes, and Dior. The older part of the mall has all your staples (Sephora, Apple, Target, Sanrio), as well as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. But that’s still not all.

You’ll find a free trolley conveniently available to cart you across the street from the Topanga Mall to The Village at Topanga, a neighboring shopping district just a brief walk away. There’s culinary stores like Sur La Table, Total Wine & More, and Crate & Barrel, as well as clothing spots like Eddie Bauer, M. Fredric, and the Sunglass Hut. There’s also a giant Costco.